Rate of crashes killing older people increases slightly

• By Hollie Younger / Staff writer, with CNA

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In the first seven months of this year, 1,569 people died from motor vehicle crashes within 30 days of a crash, including 697 older people, up 5 percent from the same period last year, data from the Ministry of Transportation and Communications showed.

Crash-related deaths were down by 220, or 12.3 percent, compared with the same period in 2023 and down 18 deaths, or 1.1 percent, from the same period last year, the data showed.

The overall trend remains positive as the number of crash-related deaths, including those from drunk-driving incidents and those involving motorcycles, older people, children and adolescents or pedestrians, all declined compared with the same period of 2023, the minstry said.

Deaths of children and adolescents and among people involved in alcohol-related crashes both fell by more than 54 percent, it added.

However, the number of fatal crashes involving older people increased compared with the same period last year, Department of Railways, Highways and Road Safety Director-General Wu Tung-ling (吳東凌) said.

The increase was concentrated in Taoyuan, Taichung and Hualien County, where 50 percent of fatal crashes involving older people were related to motorcycle crashes and 20 percent were due to collisions involving pedestrians, Wu said.

Crashes commonly occurred when motorcycles were turning left at intersections or pedestrians were crossing the road, he said.

The fourth quarter of the year is historically the peak period for fatal crashes involving older people, the ministry said, with shorter daylight hours and larger day-night temperature differences.

It advised older people to wear bright clothing or reflective accessories when going out in the early morning or late at night.

Drug-driving incidents occurred often so far this year, with 23 people killed in the first six months of the year and seven in July alone, ministry data showed.

Beginning in July, the method for counting drug-driving incidents was changed, National Police Agency Traffic Division section chief Chen Chi-feng (陳其鋒) said.

Statistics were expanded to include not only instances in which the first party involved in the crash was under the influence of drugs, but also when a crash involved a second party who was drug-driving and committed a traffic violation, to more accurately count drug-driving crashes, he said.

The news system recorded 105 drug-driving crashes in July, falling to 89 last month, Chen said.